Summoning America

Chapter 155: Maelstrom's Herald

Author's Note (Story and Patreon Updates):

156 and 157 double upload is now out for all Tier 2 Patrons and higher! Tier 2 Patrons and higher will be able to read one chapter ahead!

Manifest Fantasy (Rewritten) Chapter 1 has a tentative debut on October 3, 2023. Expect a fully developed and reworked plot, fleshed out characters, a carefully crafted setting, and otherwise more professional writing than is present here in Summoning America. Manifest Fantasy chapters will be uploaded concurrently alongside Summoning America chapters (I will be working on both at the same time). As such, I will hereby be canceling the $150 donation milestone, replacing it with free Manifest Fantasy chapters.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/drdoritosmd

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December 25, 1640
Grade Atlastar-Class Battleship, GVS Valhalla, Fifth Conquest Fleet

Fleet Admiral Alaric Dietrich stood before a large, table-mounted tactical map, complete with intricate markers indicating ship positions and other vital data. The room was awash in the soft glow of overhead filament bulbs, their light throwing angular shadows that added to the room's tension. A large telephone rested at one end of the table.

Unlike their previous meeting, Vice Admirals Karl Feldt, Otto Steinberg, and Erik Halvard were not physically present. Instead, they participated through a bank of dedicated radio sets, each assigned to an operator who relayed their words to Dietrich.

In the midst of their discussion, a communications officer burst into the room, his steps hurried, carrying a slip of paper. "Sir, a high-priority coded message from Galavete, sir."

Dietrich's gloved hand reached for the message, his eyes quickly scanning the lines. "Decode it," he ordered, handing it off to a cipher clerk who sat next to an encryption machine.

Within moments, the machine clattered to a stop, and the decoded message was handed back to Dietrich. He read it aloud, his voice a steely monotone.

"Marcus and Reinhard's battlegroups have engaged the enemy near Galavete. Suffered heavy casualties. Both battlegroups combat-ineffective."

The buzz of radio static filled the air momentarily before Vice Admiral Feldt's voice crackled through. "Fleet Admiral, I've just reviewed the Galavete reports. Do we have more details on what precisely went awry?"

Dietrich leaned over the map. "Indeed we do, Karl. The dispatch from Galavete indicated that our battlegroups led by Marcus and Reinhard were heavily outclassed. It seems that my previous analysis of the Americans' capabilities was... gravely incorrect. Their carrier waves – consisting of about 200 sorties from Pegasus and Cygnus-class carriers – were intercepted well before reaching effective bombing range. Following this, long-range antiship missiles sank two Pegasus-class carriers, six Cygnus-class escort carriers, one Hercules, and a handful of cruisers and destroyers."

A heavy silence fell over the radio link. Finally, Vice Admiral Steinberg broke it. "All Pegasus-class carriers and most of our Cygnus-class carriers? They didn't even bother with the other ships... They know exactly how to cripple our forces and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Regrettably, yes," Dietrich confirmed, his face taut. "They couldn't even catch a single glimpse of the enemy; all attacks consisted of missile strikes from beyond visual range. They only managed to confirm the use of anti-air and anti-ship missiles. Our understanding of their capabilities was woefully insufficient."

Halvard's voice surfaced, filled with grim realization. "So, our move to distract them at Galavete achieved nothing? We've effectively informed them of our lack of countermeasures and tipped them off to our primary objective at Cartalpas?"